Page 63 of The Devious Husband

“He’s not doing great mentally,” Celeste tells me. “He’s worried sick about you and not in the right frame of mind.”

“He thinks he failed you because he couldn’t protect you from being taken, despite all of his security measures,” Faye says, her voice soft. “They outsmarted everyone, including Silas and Elijah, but Xavier can’t seem to accept that.”

Dion gently pushes my hair out of my face and sighs. “This is his worst fear come true, Sierra. That man just lived his worst nightmare, and I don’t think he’s snapped out of it yet. He’ll be okay once he realizes you’re okay.”

I nod, unable to focus on anything but the seconds ticking by as I wait for my husband to come back, and it strikes me then — he’s just a few doors down the hallway, and I’m this concerned. I can’t even imagine what he must’ve gone through in the hours I was missing.

“Have some soup,” my mother-in-law tells me, holding up a canister with what is no doubt homemade chicken soup, the kind Xavier told me his mom always makes for him when he’s sick.

“Thank you, Mom,” I murmur when she spoon feeds me with all the patience in the world. Her eyes widen a fraction, and she smiles at me so sweetly that my heart warms instantly. I know she’s wanted to hear me say it for a while now, but for so long, I’d felt like an imposter, like I didn’t have the right to call her mom, when our marriage felt so temporary.

Xavier’s dad grumbles, seemingly unhappy as he throws his wife a dirty look, and I glance at him. “Everything okay, Dad?”

He melts — there’s no other way to describe the way his shoulder relax as his expression lights up. “Yes, sweetie,” he says, brushing my hair out of my face like Dion did earlier. “I’m really proud of you, you know? You stayed so calm and gave us so many clues.”

I smile shakily and continue to sip my soup, my heart uneasy without Xavier here. That look in his eyes worried me, and I need to see him, need to know he’s okay.

“We’ll be back tomorrow,” Raven tells me when a doctor walks in and demands they clear the room, but I shake my head.

“I want to go home,” I tell her.

Raven nods. “I’ll make it happen,” she promises. “We’ll get you whatever you need to be treated at home, if necessary.”

She leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek, and I smile at her. “I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier.”

Raven merely chuckles and shakes her head. “I would’ve done the same had our roles been reversed. I’d have wanted to know about Ares before worrying about my own health too, so I get it. Just promise me you’ll focus on getting better now.”

“I promise,” I tell her, and she nods as she leads all of our family members out moments before Xavier is wheeled into the room, severals casts covering his body. His parents rise when they see him, throwing us both sweet smiles before they walk out too, leaving us alone.

“Hi, Kitten,” Xavier says, hoisting himself up on my bed with me, seemingly not caring about the pain he must be in. He lies on his uninjured side, facing me, and I gently press my head against his chest as I burst into tears, the shock finally wearing off.

“I’m sorry,” he says, repeating the words over and over again as he holds me, my entire body rocking from the force of my sobs.

“I’m j-just so glad you f-found me,” I tell him. “I w-was so scared, Xave.”

“Me too,” he whispers, his lips pressed to my forehead. “God, baby. I was fucking terrified that what happened to Valeria would happen to you too, and I’d lost you for years, or forever.”

“But I’m here,” I tell him, trying to control my sobs. “I’m here, Xavier, and I’m fine. We’re fine.”

“No,” he says, his voice breaking. “You aren’t fine at all, Kitten. You barely survived a traumatic event you would never have had to experience if you hadn’t been married to me. I nearly fucking lost you, Sierra.”

“But you didn’t,” I whisper. “I’m right here, Xave. You won’t ever lose me.”

He holds me tightly, his breathing uneven and his heart beating steadily against the palm of my hand. His expression tells me he doesn’t believe me, and I don’t know how to convince him otherwise.

Fifty-Five

Xavier

I run as fast as I can, yet the warehouse never gets closer, forcing me to watch as the flames and thick, dark smoke spread. “Please,” I whisper, wishing I could escape from this lucid recurring nightmare. I try to get closer with all my might, Sierra’s screams ringing through the air as I shout her name desperately, over and over again.

The sky darkens with smoke, and slowly but surely, I begin to get a little closer, only for the ceiling to collapse the moment I make it into the warehouse, thick metal shards piercing my legs and arms. I don’t let it stop me and leave a trail of blood behind me as I forge ahead, toward my wife, who is still desperately screaming for help, for me.

“Sierra,” I call out, struggling to find her through the rubble and thick smoke, my lungs burning and my vision swimming.

“Xavier!” she shouts, and I can just about make out her red dress. When I reach her, she’s still bound to a chair that’s buried almost entirely in rubble, and she looks at me with pure hatred in her eyes. “You’re too late,” she says, blood running down her forehead. “How could you do this to me, Xavier?”

“I’m sorry,” I tell her, desperately trying to remove the pieces of rubble covering her, only for more to fall. “I’m going to save you, Sierra. Just hold on for me, okay, Kitten?”

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